Statement of Solidarity with Wet’suwet’en Land Defenders

The DSA Ecosocialist Working Group stands in solidarity with Wet’suwet’en land defenders and their ongoing blockade of TransCanada’s Coastal GasLink pipeline, which would traverse through unceded Wet’suwet’en territory.

On December 14, 2018, the Supreme Court of British Columbia ordered an injunction to grant TransCanada access to this Wet’suwet’en lands. However, without consent of the Wet’suwet’en House Chiefs, who have full jurisdiction over this territory, any work pertaining to the Coastal GasLink pipeline is considered trespass. Nonetheless, on January 7, 2019, Canadian federal police and military conducted a brutal raid on a peaceful checkpoint, as an attempt to enforce this injunction. Cell service and wifi was jammed, a roadblock was installed, journalists were denied access to the protest site, and at least twelve frontline land defenders—including an elder—were violently arrested. Federal police and military forces are now heading towards the Unist’ot’en Camp, a years-long indigenous re-occupation of Wet’suwet’en traditional territory.

As ecosocialists, we recognize that capitalism, land exploitation, and settler-colonialism are closely intertwined, as capitalism was built on indigenous stolen land. We also recognize the clear role of police in serving the interests of fossil capitalism, as demonstrated time and time again. Finally, we believe that indigenous land rights and self-determination are a crucial aspect of environmental justice and the fight against capitalist extractivism. For these reasons, we are committed to standing with the Wet’suwet’en people and pledge to amplify their struggle as best as we can.